THE CARE OF POULTRY 33 



the eyes are so prominent that they stand out like the 

 side of a ball. These illustrations were drawn from 

 life and are not exaggerated. In the bad layer you 

 will find a thick clumsy head, dull eye, somewhat 

 sunken, which will not be as bright as the former 

 bird's spoken of. She will also have a thick neck. 



After reading the above, some will probably go out 

 into their poultry yards and inspect their flock for 

 good and bad layers. If you do you must take into 

 consideration the breed or breeds that you keep ; also 

 the age of the birds. The reason is this, such fowls 

 as Leghorns, Minorcas, Anconas, Campines, etc., of 

 course will have a smaller head than Orpington, Rock, 

 Brahma, etc. This is because the former breeds are so 

 much smaller in size. Then as a bird gets older the 

 head thickens. This is of course learnt by experience ; 

 but do not expect a three year old hen to have as thin 

 a head as a^young pullet. 



Most people know that the first birds out in the 

 morning and the last ones to go to roost will nearly 

 always prove to be the best layers. These birds will 

 roam further and if in confinement will scratch about 

 more than the bad layers as these are usually lazy. 

 Of course there are exceptions to all rules. 



Of course the bad laying fowl will lay some eggs 

 but these will be produced in the late spring and sum- 

 mer months when eggs are cheap, but the good layer 

 will produce them in the late autumn and winter 

 months when they are dear, hence ten good layers are 

 worth more than twenty-five bad ones, taking the cost 

 of keeping. 



To Pick Out a Layer — When she sheds her 

 feathers and we kill off the non-layers, it is well to be 

 sure and not slay a fowl full of eggs. When the rear 

 bones are wide apart at the points below the tail 



